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Today, Amy Lignor stops by to talk about her journey with her publisher, Tribute Books, and her new book, Until Next Time.

How does a girl choose between the one who steals her heart and the one who owns her soul?

Matt and Emily were created for a specific job. Raised and trained as the ultimate angel/warrior team, they are sent down to save, defend, judge and forgive, depending on the 'life' they've been assigned. What they don't realize is that the power of human emotions, such as love, anger, passion and fear can take over even the best of souls, causing them to make mistakes and follow paths that lead to confusion and heartache.

When the reason for their training is finally revealed, the angel/warrior team find themselves thrust into a world they know nothing about. Matt takes over the life of Daniel, a young man with a great deal of baggage. Emily becomes Liz, a girl living in a remote village who relies on nothing more than her own strength to survive. A violent storm erupts one night, and framed in the window of Liz's establishment is a frightening face. Let in by the soul of a Good Samaritan, the two visitors bring with them a past full of secrets that could literally change an angel's path and a warrior's plans.

From murder to redemption, this angel/warrior team must find a way to keep the faith they have in each other in a world that's ripping them apart.

==============================

Believe it or not, my writing journey began at the age of twelve when my parents, sister and I went on vacation to Cape Cod and stayed with friends of my mom’s.This was one of those vacations where Folsom Prison would’ve seemed like paradise.The little ladies we stayed with had a house where, once their cat went “nightsie,” all lights, talking, TV - everything had to stop - so as not to disturb the kitty.These ladies would take us into town (driving three miles an hour the whole way, and blaring their horn at pedestrians in the crosswalk), while my sister and I were locked in the back of the station wagon with faces pressed up against the glass.Drivers going by must’ve thought we were puppies going to get fixed, considering the looks of pure desperation we had on our faces.Because TV was unavailable, I began to write.It was a fairly large book for a kid called, My Life:A Comedy and a Tragedy

6 Comments on Indie View: Amy Lignor, author of Until Next Time, last added: 2/25/2012

Hey Shelli - Thank you so much for featuring Matt & Emily on your site. I hope everybody falls in love with them as much as I did while writing them :) And, Shannon, I agree, the cover artist is definitely on my top ten list of amazing people! :)

I met Melissa Foster online and joined her WLC group as well as follow her Women's Nest. She is not only a brilliant marketer but she is a wonderful person. She stopped by today to tell us about how to utilize community in your marketing strategy and why community is important for books as well as you as a person.

First a little about Melissa...

She hosts an annual Aspiring Authors contest for children, she's written for Calgary's Child Magazine and Women Business Owners Magazine, and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family. Melissa's interests include her family, reading, writing, painting, friends, helping women see the positive side of life, and visiting Cape Cod. (no really there is more!) She is the award-winning author of three International bestselling novels, Megan's Way, Chasing Amanda, and Come Back to Me. She has also been published in Indie Chicks, an anthology. She is the founder of the Women's Nest, a social and support community for women, and the World Literary Cafe (previously WoMen's Literary Cafe), a cross-promotional site for authors, reviewers, bloggers, and readers. Melissa is currently collaborating in the film production of Megan's Way.

(yeah she is a renaissance woman! :)

2 Comments on The Power of Community by Melissa Foster, last added: 2/11/2012

Guys - you have to read this post "The Seduction of Self Pubbing" if you are even considering self pubbing. It is so true and so accurate that I wanted to address it today.

As you guys know, I chose to self pub after some serious hardships with my book not making it in the traditional world after some really close calls. And I would not change that decision now for the life of me. I love where I am.

I do want to say that this road I've chosen is not all glitter and glamour.

I have had people emailing me offline saying that I've "inspired them to self pub". Not first of all - that is always wonderful to hear - I mean I never thought I could inspire anyone. But, before you decide on this path - I think you should stop, take a deep breath, and think through your options. Don't make a rash decision. Every situation is so different. I'm not saying you ( in general sense) won't or can't be successful. There are many successful self pub authors as there are traditional authors. I dont know how you define your level of success or what you are shooting for. Shoot, I'm flying by the seat of my pants too.

I'm just saying research self pubbing as you would agents and publishing houses. Take the time to check out the details because you don't hear all the nitty gritty things that we self pubbers face. I've tried to share as much as I can but there are daily bumps that I couldnt possibly remember to get into.

Here are a few things I didn't know when I got started:

The total investment. To do it right, you will spend AT LEAST $1,000 on your first book - cover, editing, fees to get it up, blah blah blah. To. Do. It. Right. Im not saying you cant do it somewhere for 50bucks. But in my mind that is not the best way. Just my opinion.

The time it takes. I started this process in September and it's ALL I'VE DONE - morning, noon and night - just to get my book out there and get it up. Man and I thought I didn't write enough before? Now I'm desperately trying to carve out an hour a day to write. The self pub marketing takes tons of time. It takes over. It's hard to sit back and pass up any opportunity to keep your name and book out in the crowd. Because when you leave, the book drops off too.

You are one man show. As a self pubber, you are standing on a corner with a harmonica, a pair of cymbals between your legs, bells on your toes, and a guitar in your hands playing your heart out. Meanwhile you are now competing against a 50 piece bands that has dancers and baton throwers and FIRE! They get more attention with one song in 10 min than you get playing songs for a week. You have no marketing team behind you to open doors, do the legwork. You get no advice. No have no credibility or pull in the marketplace. I have a solid marketing background and this process has been so challenging and exhausting for me! And even somewhat disheartening.

You don't make much money - you may if you are in it for the looooooonnnnnnggg haul. But don't think you will put out one book and BAM "Welcome to Cash-ola city". Some self pubbed ebooks rise over time - if you put out one after another. Look on amazon - most in the top 100 have several books out a year. Self pubbers count on build momentum. If you don't have a second book coming or in the works soon - you are the news of the day and can easily lose your voice to all the other much LOUDER voices out there. It's different for traditional authors b/c they have names and marketing teams behind them.

If you just want to write - this is not for you. You have to wear all hats and writing becomes 10% of your life. If you hat to interview. hate to social network. hate to make cold calls. Hate to put yourself out there. Don't feel comfortable in a marketing mindset. This is going to be extra tough.

You have inspired me but I'm also aware that self-pubbing is a LOT of work. When the phenom first starting gaining traction in my mind, I was a bit starry-eyed but I'm old enough to know that running your own business is a HELLUVA lot of work.

If there is one thing I've learned from you and Susan Quinn and Ali Cross, it's that your paths are NOT easy ones. I'm still holding out hope that I won't have to do it it alone. I'm not made of the same mettle as you brilliant ladies. :-)

I'd add that if you hate social networking, social media, marketing - you shouldn't trad. publish either, unless you are in the top 1% of those published that are the lead title - like Paranormalcy, Divergent, and the like.And that is very rare.

Great advice Shelli. Just watching you and others independently publish I see how much work it is. It is hard and I'm not sure I'd have the time to devote to it like you have. Thanks for sharing with complete honesty like you have throughout your journey.

Excellent advice! Doing this right DOES take a lot of time....way more than I planned. I'm taking the self publishing route on a book editors wanted but couldn't justify. Every step of very part of the book needs the same amount of focus and critique as the book itself.

Thanks for sharing your journey AND for sharing your expertise of the M-word (marketing for those who haven't seen the first in series).

Megg is a friend of mine and an indie published author. The final book in the trilogy, Severed, was just released.

In Severed, Reychel knows her gift of prophecy will lead to madness and now she is at her most vulnerable. The enemy army will attempt to sever her from everything she's ever known: her homeland, her friends, Mark, and her gift. Even at her weakest, she refuses to give up on her desire to end the war between the Malborn and the Serenians. Reychel would do anything, even come back from the dead, to conquer the enemy and reunite with Mark.

Megg has stopped by to share her journey...

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If you would have told me last year that not only would I yank my full manuscript of SLEEPERS from two agents’ consideration, but that all of my ebooks would have hit bestseller lists on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com, I would have laughed in your face.

One year ago, I had my sights set on traditional publication and one of the two agents who were reading my manuscript were destined to propel me to superstardom. My friend, Karly Kirkpatrick, had tried to convince me of the benefits of epublishing, having successfully epublished her first novel, INTO THE SHADOWS. In my mind, epublishing sounded too much like self-publishing. I had visions in my head of poorly edited, ugly books that cost thousands to produce. Not me, no thank you. I was a traditional girl. My books were going to be on the octagonal display in the front of Barnes and Noble bookstores.

Getting shipped off to live with his uncle Race was the best thing that ever happened to fifteen-year-old Cody. Then a wreck at the speedway nearly ruined everything. Cody's making every effort to get his life back on track-writing for the school paper, searching for the perfect girlfriend, and counting the days until he gets his drivers' license-but there's no escaping the nightmares that haunt him.

A chance to build his own car seems like the perfect distraction. Until Cody realizes he'll have to live up to Race's legendary status. But that's the least of his worries, considering he doesn't have his dad's permission. All he has to do is the impossible: keep Race from discovering his lie until he can convince his dad that racing's safe.

Haven't read the first book? Running Wide Open is on sale now for 99 cents.

Running Wide Open: Book 1 in the Full Throttle SeriesCody Everett has a temper as hot as the flashpoint of racing fuel, and it's landed him at his uncle's trailer, a last-chance home before military school. But how can he take the guy seriously when he calls himself Race, eats Twinkies for breakfast, and pals around with rednecks who drive in circles every Saturday night?

What Cody doesn't expect is for the arrangement to work. Or for Race to become the friend and mentor he's been looking for all his life. But just as Cody begins to settle in and get a handle on his supercharged temper, a crisis sends his life spinning out of control. Everything he's come to care about is threatened, and he has to choose between falling back on his old, familiar anger or stepping up to prove his loyalty to the onl

Thanks, Shelli, for featuring me. salarsen, racing books seem to be a hard sell in New York, so you're not likely to see a lot of them, though there are a few in the adult market and Will Weaver has a YA series. Shannon, my friend Rachele has my first book in her classroom and she says the kids are enjoying it. She liked the fact that it was "clean" enough for her to be able to recommend without parental repercussions. Susan, thanks for adding the books to your son's list.

Today, Tracy Marchini stops by to talk to us about her indie journey....

Tracy, tell us about yourself

I worked for four years at a Manhattan literary agency before leaving to start my own editorial business and focus on my own writing.

I'm currently agented by Michelle Humphrey of Martha Kaplan Literary, and am working on a picture book starring one of my favorite animals - ducks. (I would say cats are my other favorite animal, but I've discovered that really, my own cat was my favorite animal and everybody else's cats were usually just alright.) I've been accepted for publication into Highlights Magazine, published a few of my own works and managed to slip a duck story into Adams Media's anthology, BAD AUSTEN: The Worst Stories Jane Never Wrote.

I feel the same way about my dogs and kids :) Tell us about your writing and your latest book.

My latest full-length book is, alas, duck-free.

HOT TICKET is a contemporary middle-grade mystery that stars Juliet Robinson, the only sixth grader in John Jay Jr. High who hasn't received a "hot ticket" from the mysterious ticket dispenser. When one of the dorkiest kids in school - Crammit Gibson - receives a ticket before she does, Juliet decides that the ticketing system has to stop. With the help of her best friend Lucy, a Daria-esque Madeline and her almost-crush Crammit, Juliet is determined to climb a few rungs on the middle school social ladder and catch the ticket dispenser once and for all!

Sounds adorable. Can you tell us more about the publishing journey behind this?

Paul McCartney might describe my publishing journey as a "long and winding road." (Or he might just say, "Tracy who?" One of the two.)

I'm with Shannon. You're doing such an incredible, thorough and professional job of all of this. It's overwhelming from the sidelines and I really appreciate you taking the time to fill us in on the details!

Sixteen-year old Desolation Black wants nothing more than to stay in Hell where it’s cold and lonely and totally predictable. Instead, she’s sent back to Earth where she must face the evil she despises and the good she always feared.

When Desi is forced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her choice has been made—that she has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, has created her to be. What she doesn’t count on, is finding a reason to change—from something she’s never had before—a friend.

I know what you are thinking: not another paranormal book but this book is different. Trust me!

10 Things I loved about this book:

I know I always say this - but hey I don't read books much if the cover doesn't grab me. It's what I look at first. This cover is awesome. That is a big compliment coming from me b/c my friends will tell you I am picky. I love that it is a badass angel figure. I love the purple and grey. And I love sacrificial undertones. I am actually jealous this is not my cover.

Desi is a badass. She is so true to a teen and jumps off the page. She is flawed and I love that she's not perfect and doesn't pretend to be. She's actually okay with not being perfect. Who doesn

7 Comments on Bookanista Buzz: become by Ali Cross, last added: 11/4/2011

Danyelle has dropped in to give us some insight into her publishing experience. Her book Catspell is available on Amazon.

Sixteen-year-old Breena never thought anything could be worse than being forced to leave the faerie realm. Then she got stuck with a fairy godmother. But if she has to choose between the two, she’d leave the Faerie Realm over getting bossed about by a faerie with a pointed stick any day. Unfortunately, her attempt to evade her fairy godmother gives her growing pains in the form of fur, whiskers, and a tail.

Turning into a cat is the least of her worries, though. The potion wasn’t meant to bring out her inner feline, it was meant to put her to sleep. Forever. If Breena wants to make it to her Happily Ever After, she’ll have to accept that sometimes a fairy godmother really does come in handy, after all.

=================

Thanks for having me, Shelli. I’ve enjoyed your blog for the last couple of years, and it’s an honor to be here. J

Why Self-Publish?

In January of this year, if you had asked me if I would ever consider self-publishing, I would have said no.

Like most writers out there, I just want to write. I didn’t want to have to worry about cover design, formatting, and marketing. I wanted my career to consist of the story, my computer, and me. I’d get the story down, edit and polish it, and then hand it off for someone else to take care of while I tackled the next story.

Then I attended a weeklong writing seminar that focused solely on rewriting and editing. Strangely enough, it was at this seminar that I started to see writing as an act of business. Writing can be an art, but the most beautifully crafted and brilliantly written book in the world misses its potential if no one reads it.

Okay so I am almost there - only 3 weeks until the launch! Can you believe it?

I got over the hump this weekend. My copy edits are done and my cover is done (yay!) Now, my hubby and I are just working on formatting which is a pain in the arse. Ugh! I'm moving through all the interviews as they are scheduled. Reviews are starting to come in and they are very positive. I'm so thankful for all the support I'm getting.

Nerves are starting to build and doubts are starting to set in - especially when I'm tired. What if they don't like it? What if I'm not good enough? What if I fail? Will people get the book? Will people support me? Will my book stand out in the thousands of books out there?

I push those down and keep pushing forward but it's hard. Because when you are traditionally published - you have agents, and marketing teams, and editors that love your work. At the end of the day, right now, it's just me.

Now I need to start planning my online launch party - which will have tons of prizes, gifts, and surprises. I'm going to do a chat too. Maybe on my process, book and marketing. I'm scheduling a few different times so everyone can come and I'll let you know more then.

Tomorrow, I will publish the "OFFICIAL Untraceable Blog Tour" which kicks off next week! My tour guides rock!

Behind The Scenes Sneak Peeks

Big cover reveal on Friday! Yikes! I love it Vania did an awesome job and found the PERFECT model. She. Is. Grace.

Starting this afternoon, stay tuned to Novel Novice's blog and Vania's blog this week - they are doing a big expose, showing different cover shots for Untraceable with the REAL ONE popping up on Friday. You can also follow them on Twitter: Vania and Novel Novice.

I'm about to pee in my pants with excitement. I. Can't. Wait. for you all to see it. EEEEPS!

I'll be sharing a few EXCLUSIVE 'behind the scene' photos from the shoot all week long.....

What a stressful but exciting time! It sounds like you are making sure your enjoy it, as you should!!

Don't think about what people will think of the book. Most people will love it. Some people won't get it. That's just the way readership goes. And that's okay!! No book ever published has had the love of every reader.

But YOU will do just fine. All the work you've put into this book - the time and detail... it will all pay off.

If I were to self publish, from what I can tell, the single most reason to buy an ISBN is to be more professional? Most readers don't look at that. And smart ones will know you're self publishing by the price of the book.

Is there a more convincing reason outside of looking more professional? I would think the money put into cover design and editing will show that.

And I'm pretty sure retailers won't be fooled either. Is that the main reason? For the off chance retailers will want to buy the book? I just don't see that happening with self published books. It rarely happens with small press books.

I'm not trying to be a pain. But it's just been recently that I've heard people mention the isbn number. It seems more of an image thing. Am I wrong?

If you do paperbacks or hardbacks at all pr ever want to do a book signing at a store - majority of bookstores and librarians will never buy your book unless it has an ISBN - that is how they look it up.

Same thing with cover. If you just do ebooks - you may not spend as much on cover but you definitely don't want a chinsy one - readers can tell and you want the cover to pull people in so they buy your ebook.

If you decide to do paperback or hardback - the cover does in fact matter and they store scan tell the difference.

Thanks for your question, Laura. The point isn't to fool anyone. It's about how you conduct business. There are many things you can do as a business person to establish yourself as a professional vs. a hobbyist, not just in publishing, but in any venture. However, that's only part of it. An ISBN is an internationally recognized tracking number. If you want your book to have universal sales potential, you need an ISBN. Without it, you're limiting yourself. As Shelli said, it's helpful when you're doing things like book signings or putting your book on consignment in stores--something I've encountered directly. The ISBN itself tells retailers how big or small your publishing company is, so it's not like you could fool anyone, anyway.

I think anyone attempting to be a successful indie author needs to look at all aspects of publishing from a professional angle. And that includes things like cover and editing. It's all part of establishing your brand and instilling trust in your customer.

Today Jessie Harrell gives us a break down of her road to indie publishing. She is the author of Destined that debuted this week.

My first response to this guest post - was "HOW DOES SHE REMEMBER ALL THIS? Then I remembered "oh yeah she is young and I am old. I barely remember anything past yesterday.

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Assuming you don’t want to hear my entire life history in his post – and frankly, I have no interest in recounting it since it’s pretty mundane stuff – I thought maybe I’d give you the timeline version.

Early spring 2008 – Husband makes an offhand remark that we should write children’s books, because “how hard can that be?” He proceeds to buy things like Writing Children’s Book for Dummies and never read them; I sign up for an online writing class.

After the class, I realize that I have too many words in my brain to write picture books. I move on to young adult and decide to retell the Cupid & Psyche myth. It starts out with the tentative (and horrible!) title, the Vengenace of Venus.

Immediately join SCBWI and decide I must attend the Winter Conference in NYC (a place I’d never been), if I was going to “make it” in this business.

Late spring/Summer 2008 – Buy a refurbished laptop so I can ignore my husband from the same room.

Give up all TV. Except True Blood.

Take my laptop to all my DD’s gymnastics classes on Saturday mornings. With iPod rolling, this turns out to be productive writing time.

Start sharing early chapters with a teen beta reader. She likes the crap I’ve written and I’m encouraged to write more! Crap fo

Thanks so much, Shelli, for letting me guest post on your blog! I love seeing all the great reviews for Untraceable roll in -- it's so fun that our launch dates are close together. And no - you are NOT old. It took me some time to reconstruct that time line, I assure you.oh -p.s. Nook and Kindle versions are now available ;)

The hardest thing about indie publishing or self publishing is NOT doing the cover or writing the jacket copy or even the marketing.

At least not to me, anyway.

The hardest thing is coming up against the people who look down on self publishing. The people who don't give you a chance from the very start. The people who assume you are not good enough before they even read your first page.

The uphill battle we - as self pub or even indie authors - face is just getting our work to be considered equally as other authors.

We have our books judged by its cover - and I mean that literally. That's why it is so important to do everything you can to make sure your book doesn't appear self pubbed. Because then maybe - just maybe - you can sneak by the doubters and get a Kirkus Revew :).

Last week, I had one lady at a newspaper email me for an interview. She talked about how much she loved my cover and jacket, my press release, and the sample chapter. But the minute she realized I was indie/self pubbed - she simply cut the conversation short and said, "I'm sorry we don't review self published work."

Really? Why? She loved everything I gave her! My feelings were hurt and to be frank - it just sucked. In a moment when you are doubting everything you have done and are doing - those people just make it worse. Once again, the negative stigma of self pubbing gets in the way. Every time a friend turns her back b/c my book is self pubbed or a reviewer refuses to give my writing a look - it stinks. To be honest it breaks my heart. I can't help but immediately go back to that space of "I'm not good enough". Self pubbing still gets you rejection and its just as hard.

You don't have a team of marketers, or your agent, or your editor to pump you up and have your back.

You are alone.

And for me - at least not yet - those rejections never gets easier.

I just want to be judged on my work. My writing, my story. My plot, my character development, and my voice. I don't want any favors or undeserved reviews or breaks. I just want the same chance for my little book to shine as the author that pubs theirs with a large house. And to be frank - it sucks when it's not.

That is why I have spent the last two long months showing you everything I have done - the behind the scenes - gosh to honest truth - about how to tackle doing indie pubbing the RIGHT WAY. I am not saying my way is perfect - it is different for everyone and just as in traditional pubbing - there is no magic formula.

But you will automatically hit discrimination to a certain extent because you do your book on our own. So if there is anything you can do to avoid some - do it.

Even typos come down hard. Every book I've ever read has had some typos. But - if you are self pubbed - those typos (along with any plot holes or underdeveloped characters) are magnified. The typos suddenly mean you are not good enough and that is why you self pubbed.

You already get shunned by those who don't think you are good enough. And you would be surprised who those people are who turn their back on you. I guess it's a moment when your true friends and blogger buddies shine through. For some reason, self pubbing divides people and you can easily see (and quick) who falls on each side of the line. You can see those who judge you not based on your merit or writing but based on a perception...a judgement...that you arent' good enough or that you sold out in some way.

To be honest, I don't blame the naysayers to a certain extent - I've seem some serious crap put out and unfortunately - we ALL get lumped together in self pubbing or even indie pubbing. And even though some books that are traditionally pubbed suck - they don't all get mixed in together. They each get a small shot to stand on their own merit. Unaffected by their predecessors.

When a big house signs an author

19 Comments on The Naysayers of Indie Publishing, last added: 11/25/2011

You are doing everything right, and it's a shame some people will turn up their noses just because it is self-published or indie published. Unfortunately, we can't win everyone over. But you are so correct about doing this the right way and not just slapping some book up there. Keep taking pride in your work, and the rest will follow. :)

Shelli, you're still in the early stages of the indie game, a place I was not too long ago, and I remember that angst. It still ticks me off when I read a reviewer's guidelines and one of the first things they say is "no self-published." Of course, it also ticks me off when they say "no ebooks" and then go on to say how their eyes are too bad to read them. Which obviously means they don't know what they're talking about since you can set the font size on an ereader. :) I had a similar experience to what you did with a newspaper review, only the person doing the snubbing was in my circle of authors and was someone I'd done a favor for in the past. You can read a blog post about it here: http://modicumoftalent.com/2011/08/27/double-standard-in-business-guest-post-by-lisa-nowak/ After a while, though, you get used to it. It's still annoying, but you don't care as much. When Zoe Winters told me that last summer, I didn't believe her, but I learned that it's true. There's a lot of prejudice out there. Not just in publishing, but in every walk of life. I encountered the same thing as a woman racing stock cars. The way I cope is that I just don't hang out with people who act like that. There are plenty of folks who will love and respect you for who you are. There's no sense wasting your time on snobs. Anyway, being indie has its advantages (total control, the rights to your intellectual property) and I've often been pleasantly surprised at how receptive and interested people are. I had an opportunity to speak to a Children's Lit class last week, and they thought the indie thing was totally cool. They were looking my stuff up on their iPhones while I was speaking to them. One requested my book at her library on the spot. So hang in there. It gets better. And the publishing world is changing fast. Five years from now, the lines will be so blurred no one will care.

It's too bad about the negative perceptions regarding self publishing. I think it's the same feeling for those of us who can't get an agent or publisher--that our work somehow isn't good enough.

Hopefully as more people like you are the pioneers in independent publishing, it will get easier for the rest of us. And you got that awesome Kirkus review, which is awesome and I'm guessing harder for independently published authors to get. It is a hard road though, without a team to help market. Easier for you maybe but still a lot of work. Too bad there aren't more agents like PJ Hoover's who are willing to help their authors with the independent publishing route.

I'm sorry that happened, Shelli. Newspapers have long drawn the line at self-pubbed because of vanity presses and the large number of folks who would aggressively try to get those books reviewed. Frankly, many were awful. But times are changing, and self-publication is happening on a more sophisticated level by people who are good writers. Even so, I doubt that newspapers will do much reviewing, because they've all been laying off staff for years now. Very few even have book sections anymore.As a former features writer at a daily newspaper I would advise authors to try to get a feature profile of them and their experiences. That kind of thing still happens, although nowhere near as much as it used to.

I sent a request to a blogger to review my small publisher book. She replied "I don't review self published books." I blinked at the screen for awhile, feeling pretty mad. My first reaction was to defend myself and my book (I don't mean it as badly as it sounds) but then I realized that if she had that narrow of a view on books, I probably didn't want her opinion anyway. There is another group who reviews only books by publishers listed in CWIM, so again I was refused. I wanted to say, but SCBWI recognizes my pub...again with the narrow view.

If we are being really honest though, I've struggled with self published titles in the past. Good quality work, like PJ Hoover's Solstice and Susan Kaye Quinn's Open Minds has helped ease my concerns. Then I get one that's total crap and I sigh. As a writer it's hard to read glowing reviews for crappy books. Quality writers like yourself and those I've mentioned will put pressure on the others to step up, or step aside. (I dearly hope!)

This is so true. I've had people hang up on me when I said I was with a small publisher and not Big Six *real* publisher. It's a battle that has to be fought and we will win it, but so much of the public is unaware of the Kindle revolution and still remember when self-published meant "I got scammed by PublishAmerica." It means we have to be even better than the Big 6-ers. Like the early feminists, we have to be able to do everything they do, only backwards and in high heels. :-)

Hi Shelli,Thanks for visiting my blog. I look forward to sharing posts with you. I'm amazed at the reaction self publishing gets. Who made the rules? If it's good, it's good. And I've read too many books that have been traditionally published that definitely shouldn't have been. Keep going, Shelli. Nothing stays the same forever, and when self-publishing becomes 'de rigeur' you'll be out there with the best.LoveValentina x

I've learned that rejection is as much a part of the writer's life as weeds are to the organic gardener's. Even those published traditionally say there is no end to angst, the bad reviews and the worry over sales numbers. It's the hardest profession there is, the one we've chosen. But would we change? I wouldn't and I don't think you would either. You're doing a lot right. My God! That Kirkus Review? Geesz....don't worry about the newspaper lady. Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm sorry things have been so emotional. I understand that newspapers, etc. have certain criteria for books, but there are ways of letting you down gently without hurting your feelings!

As you said, some of the stigma is understandable. I've read some pretty mediocre self-pubbed books, but I've also read some that were great. You've clearly put in a ton of work into yours, and I, for one, am excited to read it!

I experienced similar feelings to yours when I attended the World Fantasy Convention in San Diego a few weeks ago.

Small and large publishers were pushing their latest titles, and book launch parties occurred every night into the wee hours.

As I drifted from party to party, I watched proud publishers showcasing their authors and their new releases. Posters of book covers, giveaway buttons, tables filled with food, even alcholic drinks named after the new titles - all were part of the celebration of literary achievements by teams of authors, agents, and publishing staff.

It was a little lonely to be on the outside looking in. I couldn't help but wish I had a team of people to throw me a party and celebrate the results of 2-1/2 years of writing, editing, and revising.

I am the team. You, and other indie authors like us, do it all - writing, publishing, marketing. Each one of those tasks takes copious amounts of hard work and time.

So for all those naysayers who frown on indies, I just want to say, "If you think it's so easy, why don't YOU try it?"

Thankfully I have folks like Joe Konrath, Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Rusch and others to follow and provide me encouragement.

And you. Your blog is awesome, and provides a great model for someone who truly wants to do it right.

The longer I'm in this, the more picky I'm getting about what I buy to read. And lately, I've only been buying indie, because I want this indie thing to work for all of us.

Thank you for paving the way for other self pubbers, Shelli.I hope due to excellent books like yours, the self pubbed stigma will eventually disappear.Because I do find errors in traditionally pubbed books. I do read some traditionally pubbed books and wonder how they got through acquisitions. That will happen in traditional and self pubbed. People need to respect both parts of the industry.Thanks for your bravery, your honesty, and your dedication to excellence, my dear!

I've read a lot of self pubbed and indie pubbed authors over the last few years. As you say, there are some who are really not skilled, but for the most part, the authors I've read are very skilled and have created wonderful stories and fascinating characters I'm glad I spend time with.

Clearly your book and your work to publish your book, prove that the publishing world is changing. for the most part, it's those stuck in the old publishing world who cannot see the change. Publishers do not fail because they are expert at finding the best books. And they are failing fast. It's a new world for the writer who does the work, and knows their writing deserves publication.

When I reviewed Untraceable on my blog I purposely did not mention that it was indie/self published. I am very aware of the stigma attached to indie books and did not want future readers to judge your book before they even read it.

I feel indie authors have work harder for the reasons you mentioned, when there's a typo it is magnified if it is self published. I am currently reading a new release, high fantasy book that is over 850 pages. It is well into an established series by a well known, traditionally published author, and guess what. I found a typo within the first 100 pages.

When I finished reading Untraceable I was riding in a car. After I read the last page I set my kindle in my lap, stared out the window and shook my head. My husband asked me what was wrong and this was my answer. "If this is what publishing houses are turning down...I'm never gonna get my book sold."

Untraceable is top notch and I hold it at a standard as high as any well written traditionally published book. You did it girl. When your book is released people will see it is good and that indie authors are just as worthy as any other author. You're kind of like a pioneer...blazing the trail, breaking the mold. Helping bring a good reputation to indie authors.

I am sorry you are hitting this block, but if anyone can do it you can. And you are not alone. We bloggers and readers are here to be there to support you. I'm so excited about what you are doing and I think you are taking a big leap into an amazing adventure.

My special offer runs until tonight a midnight. If you already planned on purchasing Untraceable and do it today, send me the receipt and I will give you a free query critique. Just to say "thanks for your support."

Also, pop over to my blog tour to catch up on marketing and self pubbing posts.Today I will be at: Nazarea (The Author Process) and PJ Hoover (Top 10 ebook Release Tips)

Also - you still have one week to enter the Goodreads Giveaway for a free copy of my paperback. The link is on the side of my blog.

Shelli, thanks so much inviting me to do a guest post today. I’m a bit intimidated considering you just had an awesome launch for Untraceable. I considered blogging about a few different topics, but they all dulled in comparison to your big day.

The best I could come up with is to discuss a topic that I know is near and dear to your heart and mine:

First, I all of a sudden looked up and realized it was Wednesday and I had not posted this week.

Yikes.

The biggest problem with ebooks (besides the slew that are low quality and printed at Kinkos) is distribution. If people can't get access to your books then why sell them at all?

Today, I wanted to quickly go through how to decide what format to choose for your indie published book. But how do you know what format to do them in?

1) Think about whether you just want digital or also want a physical copy.Some people only want to go digital in indie publishing and they make great money and have little hassle. Indie writers don't make much off paperbacks. With Amazon's 70% royalty (if your list price is 2.99 or above - you can make about $2 on every 2.99 book sold. That's great compared to most publishers. I think we will see a time in the future where authors will try and keep their digital rights b/c the royalty rate is low and put out the ebooks themselves once the physical book is available.

2) Going Digital? Decide what ebook formats. If you just want your book available on Amazon - it will only go to those people with Kindles. B&N has Pub it, which only goes to Nooks. So - do you want all the other ereaders to have access? I say why not? Smashwords will sell your book in most formats for Sony, or iBooks etc. So why not. I think it will cost you extra time and probably under $50. So what do you have to lose. I will say about 80% of sales come from B&N and Amazon (mostly Amazon) so it might not be worth it to you.

3) Want physical copies? Understand your royalties first!Okay so this is where indie published authors vary. Some only do digital, others do paperback while some do hardback (only Lightning source offers that). The problem is the royalty - I mean if you are not smart - you will end up paying for people to buy your book, which sucks. So it comes down to money.(doesn't everything?)

Theer are tons of POD companies - LuLu, iUniverse etc - but I have heard CreateSpace and LS are the best from reliable sources so I don't have time to research all of them.

7 Comments on What to consider when creating other formats?', last added: 10/21/2011

Yeah, listen to Stina. I just read that article, too, and it has some really great info. For more info and another perspective, see Robin Sullivan's post:http://write2publish.blogspot.com/2011/02/why-create-space-is-better-than.html

I haven't used the pro service for Amazon, B&N, or Smashwords. I don't really see what the advantage is, but if you know something I don't I'd be fascinated to learn about it. Maybe that would make another good blog post. Most of the indies I know just opt for the free ebook versions.

Molly Green did an indepth comparison between Create Space and Lightning Source.http://worthbecoming.wordpress.com/2011/10/17/the-great-debate-createspace-or-lightening-source-for-self-published-print-books/

What is ISBN block?

I don't really expect to make tons of money with print (hopefully I'm proved wrong) but having it available makes you sound more legit to some people. Plus you can buy at a discount yourself and sell for less and make more profit, than if you rely on the Amazon site alone. It is also needed for certain marketing efforts.

I hope you are scheduling time to breathe and to sleep! I have to admit the thought of researching it all and making all the decisions that go along with it totally overwhelms me. You must be exhausted!

Hi Shelli,I went with Createspace and upgraded to the Pro Plan, but then ended up pricing my book at less than they recommended, because I couldn't imagine anyone buying a paperback of an unknown for $11.50.I priced it at 8.99, so I will still make about $.90 a copy at 302 pages. The advantage of having a paperback, even without lots of sales, is that you can put it up on Goodreads for a giveaway-they don't yet do ebooks. That gives you a way to let readers know the book is out there.